Making the Reserves
by marauderX
Summary: When Molly Weasley starts at Oakshaft Quidditch Academy with her heart set on making the Montrose Magpies reserve team, she expected to learn from some of the greatest minds in the world, both on and off the pitch. But sometimes friendship, love, and life provide the greatest lessons of all.
1. Making it to the Academy

Lightning crackled against the sky as rain poured over my already soaked and shivering body. I gripped my broom tightly as another gust of wind threatened to send me down to the ground below, the promise of broken bones and internal injuries screaming in my ears. My old captain Lena Alvarez's voice echoed in my ears as I continued to fight against the wind.

 _"_ _I'll be damned if I let Mother Nature pull one over on me. Claws, to the sky and fly like the ravens you are!"_ she used to shout into the sky.

As much as I hated to admit it – and I never would to her – she was right and I was determined not to let some hippie woman with a flower crown decide whether I was going to play or not. Leaning closer to the handle and coaxing the broom forward, I squinted out into the rain, straining to find my other Chasers in the storm. Another strong gust of wind hit and I felt my grip on the broom slip. I looked down, only just registering that my gloves were nowhere to be found.

 _Bloody hell,_ I thought, gritting my teeth as I felt a splinter wedge deep into my palm. _Just my luck to forget my gloves today._

I clenched my fingers tighter but the soaked wood slid through my hands and fell backwards towards the darkness below. My screams were drowned out by the shrieking wind as I fell into the abyss…

* * *

I woke with a jolt and sat straight up in bed, clutching at my chest as my heart threatened to beat out of my ribcage. Looking around, I took in my surroundings and breathed a sigh of relief that I was in my room and not falling as I had been in my dream. I glanced over at the clock on my bedside table and felt my heart skip a beat; my alarm would go off in a few minutes, so it was futile to try and go back to sleep, meaning my final day at home started now.

I jumped up, my blankets falling onto the floor as I went. Yesterday I had packed up all of my things but I was still worried that I had forgotten something. My entire closet was packed into one large trunk, so instead of riffling through that, I checked my Quidditch bag. The smell was so bad my eyes almost watered. It was an unfortunate side effect of my love for the game – and my laziness and unwillingness to properly wash everything.

I checked that I had my gloves, my shin guards and my arm guards, my goggles, my cleats, and my Hogwarts cape. I held the cape in my hands, letting the soft blue linen run through my fingers as I reminisced over games once played and teams left behind. I would be lying if I said I had wanted to leave my friends, but I would also be lying if I said that the Oakshaft Quidditch Academy wasn't something to leave them for. Going to the OQA was a sure fire way to increase my chances at getting an offer from professional reserve teams, and that was my goal.

I reached deep in my Quidditch bag and dug out the ratty child's shirt that had been given to me when I was only a few months old. The magpie set upon a black and white background stared at me as I gazed upon it. The Montrose Magpies were my dream, and had been my dream since I could remember. It had added quite a bit of fuel to the many debates at Christmas time when we had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Weasley's house. But no matter how many times Uncle Ron insisted that the Cannons would be great again, or Aunt Ginny assured me that an all-female team was the way to go, or James bellowed out that no one could ever match up to Puddlemere United, I stuck to my guns.

Suddenly, my alarm beeped, breaking me out of my reverie. I stumbled over my blanket as I scrambled to turn it off before it woke the entire house. It caused much more noise than I had intended. I froze, listening to see if I had woken anyone up but since I didn't hear any movement from down the hall, I started to put everything back in the large duffle, careful to put back the child's t-shirt in the hidden pocket at the bottom of it. Just as I was zipping it up, there was a slight knock at the door.

"Come in," I said in a low voice. Although it seemed that I had woken someone up, I wasn't about to wake up the rest.

The doorknob turned slowly, followed by the opening of the door until I was staring into my mother's bright green eyes. She had her strawberry-blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun that only emphasized her sharp features. I had always wanted the high cheekbones, button nose, and bow lips that had somehow stayed with her, even with her aging years, but I had been doomed with plump cheeks and eyes that were slightly too far apart for my liking. At least I had gotten her blue-green eyes, something my younger sister Lucy was none too pleased about.

She smiled at me from the doorway, the light from the hall illuminating her slim figure. "Too excited to sleep? Or did you wake up early just to pack?" Her voice held the gentle lilt of her hometown of Dublin, dampened by years in English territory.

"I had a nightmare," I explained, "that I was falling off my broom. Woke up before my alarm. I was just double checking all of my things."

She walked over to where I was sitting next to my duffle and crouched down. Her hand came up to cup my cheek as she brushed aside a strand of vibrant copper hair with her thumb. "I'm going to miss you, Molly. Every single day."

I blushed but still pressed against her hand, revelling in the warmth. "I went to Hogwarts for six years, Mum." Rolling my eyes, I continued, "It's no different."

"Oh, it is," she assured me. "This time I know you'll be off having the time of your life, forgetting all about me."

"I won't forget about you, Mum." I reached forward and wrapped my arms around her waist.

She hugged me back and sighed. "I've made sure of that. Your father and I got you a present for before you leave. Come with me."

* * *

The small kitchen light washed over the sharp white linoleum, too bright for my eyes. As I squinted, trying to get accustomed to this new brightness, I noticed a large, strangely wrapped package on the counter. Blinking a few more times to get rid of the white blotches in my vision, I saw the thing, long end of one side and the thicker, bulkier end of the other.

"It's a broom," I breathed. I turned to see not only my mother but my father and my sister standing behind me, beaming as they watched. "You got me a broom?"

"You weren't going to let her open that without us, were you?" Dad murmured, pulling Mum closer by the waist.

She laughed as she gave him a peck on the lips. "Of course not. I was just showing it to her. She woke up earlier than we expected."

Lucy skipped over and hugged me tightly. "We were going to make you breakfast in bed and you could've opened it then, but I guess Mum ruined the surprise."

"Can I open it now then?"

Nods from my parents encouraged me to race over and rip open the plain brown packaging. I didn't have much patience on a regular day, let alone when I was being gifted a new broom. When the final piece of paper was out of the way, I felt my heart stop. The rich dark ebony was as smooth as butter and the foot grips were shining with a sheen that could only be of goblin-made ironwork. Hazel twigs were smoothened out at the end, the sleek shape causing my breath to be taken away. The bolt of lightning engraved in gold on the handle along with the number 157 sparkling in the kitchen lightning.

"A Firebolt Supreme," I gasped. "You didn't." I let my fingers ghost across the gorgeous handle, memorizing the small dips and grooves that would held grip and stability once it was in the air. "These are… these are…"

"The fastest brooms in the market," Dad finished for me. He smiled and came forward to lazily draw his fingers along it. "I know. But this comes at a cost, young lady. I'm not paying your way through this academy and giving you a new broom without a promise."

I groaned. "I know. I'll get all my N.E.W.T.s I promise Dad. An E or an O in every single one." I glanced over at Mum, who nodded slightly to show me that my response was the right one. "Now, can I go try this out?"

* * *

The Firebolt Supreme was faster than anything I had ever experienced. The hazel in the back helped amazingly with turns and I outshined Lucy when she took my old Air Wave Platinum – well hers now, along with her Turbo XVX – for a race. Afterwards our parents took us out for breakfast instead of making it since I was already awake and everyone was hungry. We were joined by Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur, along with my cousins Dominique and Louis. My other cousin Victoire was on her honeymoon with her new husband, Teddy. When breakfast was over, they gave me a small present. Inside was a golden necklace with a small portrait of a man on it.

"Fleur's idea," Uncle Bill had explained. "She thought it would keep you safe."

Aunt Fleur smiled at her husband, as her brilliant blue eyes bore into mine. "Eets Saint Joseph de Cupertino. 'E is the patron saint of aviation and students."

Before I left, Dominique hugged me tightly and made me promise to write her every week if I could. She would be the hardest to leave behind. We've been best friends since we were little and have been through so much together. I could see her wiping her cheek as our car pulled away, and even though we promised each other we wouldn't cry, I could feel a tear running down mine as well.

The necklace was now draped around my neck, the saint resting on my chest inside my shirt. I had been so touched that Aunt Fleur had thought of that. It would keep me safe in the air, and hopefully while I was taking my N.E.W.T.s I fingered the golden chain as my father drove down the long and winding driveway that led to the Academy. My stomach was in knots and I felt faint as we passed dozens and dozens of trees. Every time we passed a new one, we were that much closer to the next eight months of my life.

Finally, the great walls came into view. Rich red brick stood out against stark white panelling, and half a dozen smokestacks lined up along the roof. But the most extraordinary part of the academy wasn't the building itself but what was happening around it. Trunks flew alongside people on their brooms, zipping around, collisions narrowly avoided midair. Navy-blue robes adorned with two crossed golden bulrushes were scattered amongst those without any, and I felt butterflies in my stomach.

"James would die," I breathed.

Lucy strained from her seat to see what I was seeing as we pulled up to the edge of the road. "Is that Puddlemere United?!" she gasped. "Oh my god, Mols, do you get to meet them?!"

I took a deep breath in. "Only one way to find out." I opened the car door.

Almost immediately a short, pudgy girl with wavy brown hair appeared. Her hazel eyes twinkled as she smiled brightly. "I'm Heather Wilder," she stuck out her hand for me to shake it, "and I'd like to welcome you to Oakshaft. If you get your trunk and any other bags out of your car, we can take your bags and I'll have a player over here immediately to get you situated. And what's your name and position?"

"Molly. Molly Weasley." I glanced back at the car as Lucy climbed out, giving me a pair of thumbs up as encouragement. "I'm a Chaser."

Heather's smile seemed to grow if that was possible. "You're the Holyhead Legacy! I'll be your coach in training this year. I'll grab Jackie to come help you, I think you'll like her."

I nodded, too overwhelmed to say thank you, before turning back to the car and asking Dad to open the trunk. Mum got out and helped with the trunk and my duffle as Lucy and Dad stood and watched us. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure with navy robes descend from above and land next to Dad. I turned to see Lucy's eyes bugging out and stifled a giggle before turning my attention to the player before me.

"I'm Jackie Jernigan," she grinned. "You must be the new Weasley girl. I could tell by the hair."

I felt blood rush to my cheeks as I nodded. "Molly."

"Alright, Molly. Are you ready for your first training exercise?" Jackie nodded at my family and then my trunk. "You'll need to say your goodbyes and then I'll show you to your room."

I turned to my family, well aware that Jackie was studying us all. I was used to it by now, especially anytime we were out with Uncle Harry. However, it usually wasn't Aunt Ginny that caused so much attention to be drawn to us. Now that I thought about it, if I was attending a Quidditch academy I should've been prepared for that. Deciding to block her out, I took a step forward and wrapped my arms around Lucy first. After a minute or two of hugs goodbye, half of which was Dad berating me about making sure I did well on my N.E.W.T.s, they piled back in the car and waved goodbye. As I watched them drive away, I was acutely aware of Jackie staring at me.

"Okay frosh," she quipped, her tone lighthearted, "levitate that trunk and let's go for a fly. Your trainers expect you to hold concentration on that all the way around that track."

I nodded, unable to speak. Jackie quickly sent away my bag with a flick of her wand. She kicked off the ground, hovering just above my head as she waited. I mounted my new broom, the wood still gorgeously smooth. Kicking off, I held on with one hand while the other gripped my wand. I quickly cast a levitation charm on my trunk and felt relief that it responded.

"You'll be on the Morgan Minxes with Heather as your coach," Jackie said as we began flying through the wind. "Your roommate has already arrived, so after you both have unpacked, make your way to the pitch along with your fancy new broom. That a Firebolt Supreme there?"

I steadied myself as a particularly nasty gust of wind disrupted the fragile balance I was keeping up with one hand on the broom. "Got it today as a gift."

Jackie turned slowly, checking her shoulder to make sure I was still following. "I was about to get the Thunderbolt VII a few years back, but I'm sticking with my VI until the VIII comes out next month."

"The VIII will be safe then?" I asked. Since the inquiry that had been launched into the Thunderbolt VII had concluded that the manufacturers had been skimping on quality product in making the broom, the demand for the newly improved VIIs had been at an all time low. Mum had almost bought it for Lucy before Dad had nixed the idea when the inquiry report had passed through his office the day before they were rereleased.

Jackie slowed as we neared the other side of the large building where a thick grey door was propped open with a large rock. "I've got a cousin who's working on the new release. He promises that it's in tip top shape. Tells me it's going to be faster than your bundle of sticks any day." Her voice was lighthearted and matched the easy smirk that blossomed on her face as she turned to me.

I smiled back, my nerves subsiding about being so close to a veritable Quidditch legend. "Yeah, alright. Owl me when that happens and we can find out."

She chuckled and shook her head, her eyes shining with childlike glee. We flew in silence for a minute, my gaze scanning the grounds, trying to get a feel for the place that would be my home for the next few months.

We finally landed in front of the open door and I let my trunk drop to the ground with a loud thump. Almost immediately, Heather burst out of the open door, her dark hair swinging behind her. She thanked Jackie before the girl sprang up into the air once more and zoomed off, and then turned to me with a genuine smile.

"Your room is 206," she handed me a key with the number engraved upon it, "and your roommate Juliette is already starting to unpack. Here, let me get your trunk and we can go upstairs."

With a flick of her wrist, her wand fell out of her sleeve into her hand, and with another flick, my trunk flew up again and bobbed slowly towards Heather. I gave her a nervous smile and walked into the building, starting up the stairs. She chirped on about getting unpacked and meeting my roommate and afterwards meeting everyone on the pitch outside as I walked up the stairs, barely listening to her as I stared at the photos on the wall. The teams pictured were all in red robes and all of them seemed to be girls.

"The Morgan Minxes have been an all girls team since the beginning here at Oakshaft," Heather's voice finally broke through to me just before we got to the landing. "Obviously we haven't been called the Morgan Minxes since the start, coaches get to pick the team name every year, but we've only ever fielded female players."

I nodded silently and opened the door to let Heather and my trunk get through first. She went almost all the way down the hallway until she finally stopped at the second to the last door on the right. The door was open so she sent my trunk into it and I heard it land softly on what I assumed to be a bed.

"Here's your room!" She turned back to me with her sparkling smile and gestured into the room.

I walked past Heather and into the room where a shorter girl with long, blonde hair stood next to a well-made bed, a nervous look on her face. It seemed as though she had unpacked most of her things, her trunk already on top of the large dresser that was on the right side of the room.

"Hi, I'm Juliette Michaud," she said softly, her voice lilting on her name. "You're Molly then, yes?"

"Yeah." I walked over and placed my broom on my bed, then stuck my hand out for her to shake. Her grip was firm and her hands calloused. "I'm a Chaser. You?"

She laughed, smiling for the first time. "That's such a coincidence! So am I!"

I giggled in turn. "Guess this was meant to be. I guess I'll unpack and then we'll go over to the pitch?"

She agreed and we lapsed into comfortable silence, both unpacking and reorganizing. She told me that she came from France, in a small town just outside of Paris, called Bonneval-sur-Arc. She'd been playing Quidditch since before she'd even started at Beauxbatons, and had left her friends and boyfriend there this year to attend Oakshaft. She'd been in love with the idea of joining the Harpies since she was younger and I'd had to contain my laughter as she had taken out player's cards and Aunt Ginny had coincidentally been on top.

I told her about having to leave my friends at Hogwarts and that I'd been a Magpies fan practically since birth, to which she jokingly told me that any Magpies merchandise that landed on her side of the room would be banished forever. When I finally mentioned my last name, her jaw fell open and her eyes lit up. I promised to introduce her to Aunt Ginny, and that she could most likely get her player card signed. Then I'd told her about all of my cousins, and how our games in the backyard were the reason I'd fallen in love with playing. By the time all of our stuff was unpacked and it was time to get onto the pitch, Juliette and I had grown to be friends.

"Is that the Firebolt Supreme?" Juliette asked, rummaging through her wardrobe to grab her broom. "I've been coveting that since the World Cup. My mum gave me an ultimatum though – aha!" She came out of the wardrobe, a triumphant look on her face and a gorgeous ebony broom in her hand. "It was get the Firebolt Supreme or a horse. Bet you can guess which one I chose."

I pulled on a hooded jumper before fixing my hair into a ponytail. "You've got a horse?"

Juliette smiled and looked at her feet. "Yeah, Apollo. He's my baby. I kept this Nighthawk but I got him, so it all worked out."

I stared at her dark broom, admiring the dark, polished wood and the slightly erratic yet gorgeous twigs of ash at the back. "Which one is faster?" I joked, walking out of the room, Juliette on my heels.

"Definitely the Nighthawk," she laughed, racing down the stairs behind me. "So how about a bit of friendly competition?"

I looked behind me and saw the wicked glint in her hazel eyes. "Until your feet touch the pitch ground. 1… 2… 3… Go!"

We both hooked our legs around our brooms and kicked off, rocketing into the sky.

* * *

When we got to the pitch, Heather was waiting for us along with two of the other three coaches: a tall and very muscular boy who introduced himself as Arthur Grant, and Jenna Brown, a taller girl with dark, curly hair. They mentioned that the fourth coach, Sonia Holt, would be arriving the next morning, and then had us sit in small circles to get us acquainted with others who would be at Oakshaft with us.

After a bunch of introduction games, we went to their version of the Great Hall, called the Canteen, and had a nice lunch. Then we were allowed to go out to the pitch and scrimmage against each other, which was an absolute mess with over fifty of us on the pitch, completely unaware of which way we were supposed to be flying. The Beaters were flying about and swinging their clubs at each other, the sound of wood on wood clacking across the pitch, followed quickly by their easy laughter.

Finally, the coaches came to meet us, rounding us up to bring us back to the Canteen for dinner. Dozens of sweaty Quidditch players walked through the halls of the academy, conversations about positions and brooms abundant in the stone hallways. Juliette was walking beside me but talking to another girl on the Minxes, a shorter girl with dark skin and curly light brown hair named Brooke Aguilar. I continued to walk in silence, studying those around me. I could tell who would be difficult to play with, who would be difficult to play against, and who would be a wild card. As I was contemplating this, a taller figure appeared next to me.

"Hey, I'm Cedric," a low voice murmured, pulling my attention to the new boy beside me. "We were in some classes together at Hogwarts."

I smiled up at the blond, green-eyed boy that I had indeed had classes with back at Hogwarts. "I know. Didn't realize you would recognize me."

He laughed and ran his left hand up and down his right arm. "Yeah, of course I did, Weasley. I make it a rule to know all the Chasers that could potentially beat me in a shoot out." His grin caused his green eyes to shine as he reached over to tug on a strand of my fiery hair that had fallen loose from my ponytail. "Plus, who could forget your fiery hair. Anyways, how did you recognize me?"

"You really think that anyone in our year wouldn't recognize the great Cedric Wood?" His cheeks darkened slightly. "So what are you taking for your N.E.W.T.s?" I asked, looking for a neutral ground as I felt my cheeks heat up as well.

"I'm taking the general courses," he sighed. "I've no idea what I want to do after Quidditch. It's a bit strange, thinking so far ahead. I mean, how am I supposed to know what I want to do after retirement?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I feel the same way. I guess I'll be seeing you in class then?"

"I'm looking forward to it. Hey Joseph!" With that he chased off after another one of the chasers, the two boys greeting each other like old friends.

"Who's that?"

I turned to see Juliette and Brooke staring at me with questions in their eyes. "Just someone from my old school," I said nonchalantly.

"Seems like you know each other well," Brooke teased, her easy smile causing her brown eyes to sparkle.

"I think that's the first time we've actually had a conversation," I mused. "Anyways, I'm not here for boys, I'm here for Quidditch."

Juliette giggled and flipped her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. "Can't we do both?" The three of us laughed as we entered the Canteen. "So," Juliette continued, "how do you girls feel about a little party tonight?"

* * *

 **A.N.: Hi guys! Hope you liked the first chapter of this story! Of course, I couldn't have done this without a bunch of help. Of course I used some of my own experiences (I always do), but I really had a lot of help with this story.**

 **So I want give a big thank you to my Betas: Dee/HeyMrsPotter, Anja/merlins beard, Kayla/ohmymerlin (yes I used a lot of Betas, I'm really nervous about this story especially this chapter) and Julie/banshee who is basically sent from the heavens to critique my every word (something I desperately want and need) and who gave me questions to muse over while I continue writing; to Branwen/Beeezie and Vicki/TearsIMustConceal for helping me decide on face claims (yes, I needed help with that because those help me visualize the story and these two helped me tremendously); Leigh/AdinaPuff and Kevin/TidalDragon who helped me iron out plot; and finally, to Bianca/victoria_anne, who helped me so much with the plot and was basically my sounding board for my entire story, and who constantly had beautiful things to say and crazy good suggestions.**

 **Also, confessmuch on tumblr has some amazing headcanons that seamlessly kind of matched what I had envisioned but also added to characters' backstories and hpnextgenuniverse also on tumblr has some really great ones too that have inspired some of the little quirks Molly might have.**

 **Honestly, I could not have done it without you guys. So I hope you who are reading (yes you), liked this first chapter, but whether you did or you didn't, I'd love to hear your comments, questions, thoughts, and/or concerns! Thanks guys!**

 **Lo :)**


	2. Making First String

Brooke opted out of the party that night but that didn't stop Juliette and I. We primped and preened for almost an hour before she proclaimed that we were ready. We met up with some of the other girls from the Morgan Minxes and were making our way down to the Dangerous Dais' floor to bring some of the boys along on our escapade. Although we weren't strictly forbidden from leaving the Academy's property, Juliette managed to flirt enough with Tyson Chase, one of the Dias Keepers, that she got him to bring our brooms from the equipment shed and hide them just outside the front doors. We were ready for an adventure.

I slowly opened the door to the Dais' floor and held it open for Daisy O'Neill, another one of the Minxes' Chasers. She held her left index finger to her lips as she looked back at us, her sharp eyes daring us to contradict her and make any kind of noise. We tiptoed down the hallway until we got to the room we wanted – number 434. Daisy rapped her knuckles on the door as quietly as she could, and as soon as she hit it the third time, it opened.

We all scrambled in, giggling softly as we tried to be as discreet as possible. The door closed quickly behind us and then there we were – five guys and six girls. I noticed Cedric talking to Joseph Daladier and Reid Wheeler, two other boys on the Dais, and I had to believe that they'd known each other before Oakshaft with the easy way they were around each other. I blushed when he noticed me and smiled in greeting. Daisy, Jessica Knox, and Kate Dawson were already off flirting with Tyson and Roger Blackburn – something I couldn't fathom since both boys had overinflated egos but didn't have the faces to match – while Juliette and Cheri William were discussing what classes they thought would be most difficult. I tried to engage in that conversation, but even thinking about starting classes and meeting our professors made my stomach turn, and I began to feel overwhelmed by what was coming up. I began to fold in on myself, effectively taking myself out of any conversation.

"Not too excited about tonight then?" A deep voice muttered close to my ear, making me jump.

While I was trying to listen to Juliette and Cheri's conversation, Cedric had moved his way closer to me, a large grin on his face. "Parties have never really been my thing," I told him.

He chuckled and moved closer. "Tell you a secret?" I nodded and turned towards him, urging him to continue. "Mine either."

"Your friends brought you along?" I asked, stepping a bit farther away from him. "Heard you were a party animal, would've thought differently."

"Yeah, that rumour about Hogwarts spread a bit quick, didn't it?" He ran a hand through his hair and looked down at the ground. "I've been holding back as of late. One too many nights I don't remember, I guess."

I checked my shoulder to see that Juliette was watching us, her hazel eyes sparkling with mischief as she continued to talk to Cheri. "Yeah, wouldn't know what that feels like, fortunately," I mused as I turned back to him.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Daisy's high-pitched American accent reverberated around the room, drawing all of the attention to her. She seemed to thrive under the attention, her dark eyes glowing and her hand ruffling up her curly gray hair – a colour I would usually believe was faked, but with Daisy, nothing was out of the question. "Come on, I'm not going to party in a tiny room with you losers."

A few people chuckled, particularly Tyson, who was eyeing her in a way that made me uneasy. The majority of us just stared at the small girl as she bounced to the door. We filtered out after her, making sure to be as quiet as we could as we passed what Joseph whispered to us was their coach's room. He mentioned that out of all of the coaches, Arthur was the one who would be most likely to actually join us on our escapade. As we made our way out of our new home, the atmosphere around us changed.

Our stifled giggles bounced against stone walls, and our bodies loosened up as we became more comfortable. The silence broke as we darted out of the building, rummaging through the bushes to find our broom. We took a moment to sort everything out, shouting out the models and makes of the ones we found and listening for our own in the mix of voices. Once everyone had their own brooms, we made our way further and further down the Academy's driveway.

At some point we began to run, our laughs disappearing amongst the trees we passed, teenage antics dissolving in the wind. We finally got to the gate and mounted our brooms in perfect unison, a side effect of the rigorous training all of us had been subjected to in order to qualify for Oakshaft. We each lifted off one after the other, Daisy and Tyson in the lead. I grinned as the wind screamed in my ears and excitement coursed through my veins. There really was nothing like flying.

The wind rushed through my hair and I laughed out loud, coaxing my broom forward. It responded to me as if it had read my mind, speeding up until the wind against my face stung. I swerved in and out of the others, easily making my way from the back of the group to the front. I got so far ahead that I could barely make out their shouts in the distance. But I didn't care – I hadn't gone flying like this, so free and without purpose, for a long time.

I moved my feet off the foot grips and perched myself on the broom's handle itself, my feet far enough apart to distribute my weight. I took one, then both, of my hands off the handle, moving my left foot forward to take their place. Slowly, I straightened up, wobbling a bit as I readjusted my balance. I stared ahead of me, the darkness of the night peppered with lights in the distance; the town we were going to.

I screamed with excitement, surfing the wind on my broom. Adrenaline pulsed through me as I raced through the darkness, going higher and higher until I was surfing on clouds, the cold chilling me to the bone even through my cloak. I didn't care what we did once we landed, I just wanted to fly forever, weaving my way in and out of the clouds as the rest of the world became unimportant. Judging by the fake IDs that Daisy had given out, enchanted to match the face of whomever was the last witch or wizard to hold them, we would be going to a Muggle nightclub - although we were all of age in the wizarding world, we were still children in the eyes of Muggle law.

" _What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?_ " A voice screamed at me through the wind.

My heart skipped a beat and I began to wobble, the unwanted intrusion startling me into imbalance. I turned my head to see none other than Cedric Wood, his eyes wild with concern as he watched my broom shoot out from under me.

I'd heard stories about Muggles jumping from planes with nothing but a parachute on their back for fun. Mum had even done it a few times and told us about feeling weightless, as if she were flying. She once admitted to me that it was probably the closest thing a Muggle could get to flying, unless of course they were married to a wizard. Or in Mum's case, married to a wizard with a variety of fliers in the family.

I felt that now, weightless as a feather as I plummeted through the clouds. The only difference was that I didn't have a parachute. I screamed, the excitement in my voice from only a few moments ago replaced with agonizing fear. My nightmare from just that morning came rushing back full force and I pinched myself to make sure that this wasn't another one. As I whipped through the cover of the clouds, I realized that this time, I wasn't going to wake up. I grabbed at the pendant at my throat and began to cry. How fitting it was that I was to die while doing something I loved – flying.

Suddenly my body began to slow, the motion jerky at first, letting me fall a few feet before catching me in a full stop a moment later. I checked my shoulder to see Cheri, her wand outstretched and a massive amount of concentration on her face. Reid and Joseph were behind her, their faces panicked and terrified. My arms and legs were splayed about as I bobbed about in a circle until finally, Cedric whipped through the air and came to an impressive stop just inches from me.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry, I should've known better than to startle you, especially when you were in that position," he rambled. "I should've shouted at you well beforehand, I can't believe what an idiot I am."

"Cedric." I heard Cheri shout, her voice muffled by the wind.

Cedric continued, "Oh Merlin, you really could've been hurt, I can't believe how much of an absolute idiot I am, I'm so sorry Molly, I'm so sorry."

" _Cedric!_ " This time he heard her, as he turned towards the sound of her voice. "Cedric please, I can't hold the spell much longer!"

As she said that, I felt myself slowly beginning to fall again, gravity pulling against the force of Cheri's charm. Cedric looked confused for a moment before springing into action. He nudged his broom downwards and towards me until he was able to grab me by the waist. I turned in the air and almost as soon as I settled against the broom, I felt Cheri's charm wear off, Cedric's broom tilting forward as my full weight was finally applied to the front end of it.

He cursed under his breath and wrapped his arms around me to grab the end, steadying us. His body was warm against my back and I realized that I was shivering, although from fear or the water that drenched my clock I wasn't sure. A dark figure appeared from the clouds above, the outline of a second broom trailing along behind it unsteadily. As it came closer I recognized Juliette, and was relieved to see that it was indeed my Firebolt Supreme bobbing up and down in the wind behind her. I reached out to it, my heart aching to hold it again.

"Juliette, can you keep that up until we set foot on the ground?" Cedric yelled to her, his breath tickling my neck.

She nodded but I frowned. "I can fly by myself, it's not as if I'm injured," I whined, turning as much as I could without falling off this broom.

Cedric raised an eyebrow at me and nodded towards my outstretched hand. "You're in no shape to be flying. Look at you, you're shaking. Come on, the others went on ahead for some reason, there's no time to argue."

I grumbled in defeat but let him urge his broom forward, following the others into the night.

"Where did you guys go?" Daisy pouted, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes darting accusingly between Cedric and I as we touched down.

I quickly got off the broom and walked over to Juliette, who handed me my Firebolt. "Cedric startled me and I fell." I shot a sharp glance at him as I continued. "I almost died."

" _Almost_ being the key word in this story," he quipped. "She _almost_ died."

I turned to him, my hands tightening into fists around my broom. "Well I wouldn't have _almost_ died if you hadn't startled me."

"And I wouldn't have startled you if you hadn't been doing something incredibly reckless!" he retorted. Then, turning to the rest of the group, "She was standing _on her broom_. Wasn't holding on or anything."

Awestruck faces turned to me and my cheeks flushed. "It's not as if I haven't done it before…" I trailed off as Reid shook his head.

"Are you mental?" he marveled, his eyes darting to the broom in my hand. "What, were you using it as a surfboard?"

I shrugged shakily then nodded, a nervous smile spreading across my face. "It's called cloud surfing."

I started giggling nervously as did Jessica and Kate. Soon we were all doubled over, laughter bouncing around the small alley we had convened in. Juliette came over and hugged me, hissing at me that if I ever wanted to cloud surf again that I'd bring her along. Roger and Tyson just shook their heads at me, their easy smiles betrayed by the concern in their eyes.

Daisy however, didn't have time for this bonding moment as she took that opportunity to speak up again. "So, are we going to the club or not? I didn't get these IDs ready for nothing. Do you know how many Muggles I've pickpocketed over the years for these, not to mention the countless charms put in place only today on about half of them that were out of date? We are not wasting these or this night!"

We sobered up quickly and hid our brooms behind one of the large trash bins in the alley, casting charms so that Muggles wouldn't come across them. Then we set out for Daisy's nightclub, which was only a few blocks away. Although there was a long line, she ushered us towards the front where a hulking man stood, his presence intimidating. Daisy smiled flirtatiously at him, twirling a small piece of gray hair around her index finger.

I turned to Cheri, who smirked as the bouncer stepped aside. Each of us flashed our IDs one after the other and walked into the club. Daisy was waiting for us inside, somehow already with a drink in hand.

"And that, boys and girls," she sighed, "is how we Yanks get things done. Now who is ready to get this party started?"

We all roared in approval and made our way through the throng of people that were already crowded on the dance floor. Juliette grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the bar, a fistful of Muggle money already grasped firmly in her hand. Daisy brought a mountain of it with her and helped us trade our Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts with her before we left, even though she'd assured us girls that we probably wouldn't need it. Once we reached the bar, it was as simple as Juliette batting her eyes for the bartender to make his way towards us.

"What'll it be ladies?" He gave us a charming smile and winked.

Juliette giggled and ordered two vodka martinis. Once we got them I spotted Joseph through the crowd, sitting at a booth with Reid and Cheri. We made our way over to them and sat down just before Cedric appeared, a round of shots in hand. He had a few of them hovering between the ones he held, so it seemed as though he was just quite adept at carrying drinks. Nonetheless, I scanned the faces of the Muggles he passed, making sure that his careless act wasn't picked up. My worry lessened as I realized that most people who looked over at Joseph were either drunk or blatantly staring at his chest - rightfully so, I might add; the boy was obviously sculpted even through his shirt. We said our cheers and they downed their shots as Juliette and I sipped on our drinks. Cheri made a sour face as she placed her empty shot glass back down on the table.

"Merlin, I hate vodka with a passion," she choked out, coughing on the aftertaste.

I giggled, the warmth of the liquor already beginning in the bottom of my stomach. "Vodka is absolutely terrible, Cheri. You just need a better poker face."

"And you have a good poker face?" Cedric chuckled, catching my gaze.

I smiled sweetly and took a sip of my martini. "Well, I'm able to pretend I put up with you, so I'd say it works like a charm."

The rest of the table laughed while Cedric pantomimed his heart breaking. "Oh you wound me, Weasley," he taunted, pretending to wipe a tear off his face. "Next time I guess I won't save you from falling to certain doom."

"Oh Wood, I guess I'll have to find another knight on a shining broomstick." With that I turned and blew a kiss in Reid's direction, winking as I did so.

He 'caught' the kiss and brought it to his heart. "And so I shall be the damsel's knight, forevermore."

We dissolved into giggles as Joseph left to go get another round for the table. Juliette passed her drink to Cheri who took a sip and immediately gagged. We doubled over with laughter once again as she shook her head in distaste.

"So, how do you girls like it on the Morgan Minxes?" Reid asked after we were finally able to breathe.

"I love it," Cheri chirped, giving Juliette the evil eye. " _Most_ of them are really nice."

We all laughed again as Joseph came back with the drinks.

"I wish I was on a mixed team to be honest," I sighed, reaching for one. "If I'm going to be the best I can be, I want to play with the best I can play with. I don't want gender bias to be the reason I don't play with people who can make me better."

The others mulled it over, heads nodding in unison. "I get that," Juliette mused. "But then we'd have to share a changing room with them and the smell alone would drive me to jump from the hoops."

We all cheered for that, bringing our glasses together and then shooting them back. Cheri coughed once again and we all laughed.

"No more vodka," she pleaded.

"Poker face," Cedric and I said in unison, and then we once again dissolved into giggles.

* * *

My mouth felt like it was made of cotton balls. The light shining through the curtains across the window burned hotly against my eyelids, flooding my vision with red. It was much too bright to open my eyes so I tried to turn over in bed but was stopped by another body. I stiffened quickly then shot up, my gaze travelling to the boy who was just waking up beside me. Reid's tussle of red hair burned brightly against his white pillow, the colour almost blinding as he stirred. Clutching the blanket to my chest, I looked under it to check that I did indeed have clothes on, although there was only a fairly large t-shirt I assumed belonged to Reid and my undergarments from the night before. Reid finally turned to me, groggy eyes shining with happiness.

"Good morning," he croaked, his voice rough and deep. "Before you get any ideas," he tousled his already messy hair and smiled lazily; "you and Juliette were too drunk to get back to your room last night." He motioned with his head to the other bed where I could see my roommate nuzzled against a fairly large pillow. I looked to the floor and saw Joseph still fast asleep as well. "Your brooms are in my closet and your clean clothes are on Joseph's dresser.

I felt my cheeks burn as I nodded slowly. "And you didn't sleep on the floor because…"

Reid reached out and grabbed my hand, his own so hot it burned against my frigid skin. "You were complaining that it was too cold. I promise that nothing happened. I would never do that."

Juliette stirred in Joseph's bed but didn't wake up. I pressed my lips together tightly and stared at Reid. His gaze was unmoving, sincerity swimming in his blue eyes. My clothes were on Joseph's dresser and I did have a vague recollection of being extremely cold the night before; and that I had spilt at least one drink on myself which was probably why Reid had let me sleep in his shirt.

I sighed as I pulled the blankets closer to me. "I believe you. Now, could you please get me my clothes?" I looked down at my legs covered in the dark blue fabric. "I'm not wearing any pants," I whispered accusingly.

Reid's easy grin grew but he did as I asked and swiftly got up, his quick movements leaving me to shiver in his bed as his warmth left with him. He grabbed my clothes from the dresser and threw them to me. With a great deal of difficulty, I managed to shimmy into my pants while still underneath the now cold duvet. I waited for him to start rummaging in his closet to strip his shirt off and slip into mine. I began to shiver and noticed my cloak from the night before hanging on a hook near the door. Before I could jump out of bed and grab it, Reid had thrown yet another article of clothing my way.

"It'll look suspicious if you go down to breakfast with your cloak," he explained as I unraveled the fabric to reveal a large hoodie. "I figured you must be hungry by now, or at least need some water?"

I nodded, the cotton feeling in my mouth getting worse with every passing minute. Shrugging into the sweater, I cast the covers aside and jumped out of his bed. I crossed the room, managing to avoid Joseph's sleeping form as I did so. Reid held out a pair of fuzzy slippers in the shape of footballs and I rolled my eyes, trying to conceal the smile on my face before I slipped those on too before we escaped to the Canteen.

"So how did we manage to get back here?" I muttered as we walked down one of the impossibly cold hallways. I snuggled into Reid's sweater, the smell of his cologne making me shiver.

He laughed and shook his head at me. "Joseph took Juliette on his broom and Cedric took you on his. He'd offered to let you stay with him but you were dead set against leaving Juliette alone with Joseph and I."

I grinned. "Sounds like me. Thanks for taking care of us. I really appreciate it." I bumped him lightly with my shoulder and smiled as sincerely as I could. I truly was grateful that he and Joseph had been there for us. Cedric too, although I was debating whether or not to let him off the hook for causing me to fall - he was much too easy to tease.

Reid looked down at the ground then back up at me. "Yeah, it's no problem. It was a fun time."

We entered the Canteen and made our way to the buffet line where Reid piled his plate high with sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, and half a tomato while I settled for two fried eggs and some toast with strawberry jam. We each got a cup of tea and I got an extra cup of coffee and one of water, then we made our way through the dining area with our trays before finally settling at one of the many round tables that had been set up. Almost as soon as the trays hit the table, Reid started shoveling food into his mouth, making my stomach turn. I drank my water and my coffee – two spoons of cream and four heaping mounds of sugar – before starting on my eggs, which were cooked to perfection.

"Are you going to eat all that?" I finally broke the silence and pointed to the heaping pile of bacon that Reid had on his plate.

He surveyed me suspiciously then shoved his plate my way. "Take a piece or two if you'd like. I can always get more." I smiled appreciatively then dug in, taking a grand total of four. "Oi! I said one or two," he swiped at my hand, pouting. "If you wanted bacon, there was a perfectly good pan in the buffet line, you bacon-stealing heathen."

"I'm a growing girl, Reid," I retorted, winking at him as I swiped another piece. "I need my protein. How else am I supposed to go cloud surfing?"

"You're mad, you know that?" he grumbled, shoving the tomato into his mouth. "How did you ever learn to do that by the way?"

I shrugged and swiped a hash brown as he glared. "I had to do something impressive to get in here. I saw the Magpies try it a few years ago and decided to learn it right then and there. Took me an entire summer to be able to stand up like that on a broom." I downed the last of my tea in a swift move and grinned.

He laughed and shook his head. "You're determined I'll give you that. So you're a Magpies fan then?" I nodded as he pulled out his keys, a small black and white magpie keychain hanging off the ring. "Glad I'm not the only one."

A grin spread across my face and we launched into talking about the recent season, arguing and laughing well into the morning.

* * *

The water pounded against my aching muscles and I groaned as the pain slowly subsided. Practice had just ended but I could still hear Dan Hubbard, our trainer, yelling at us to keep running, to ignore the pain, and Bridgett Hays, our strategist, calling out play after play, giving us only seconds to grab the Quaffle she would throw into the air and race down the pitch before we had to double back just to start all over again. Once we were back in the changing room, Anabelle Greene, one of our Beaters, put on music. The song that was playing at the moment was drowned out by the stream of water I was standing under.

I had no idea how any of them still had any energy after the four-and-a-half-hour practice we'd just endured. If it weren't for the promise of fish and crisps in the Canteen, I would've sat down in the shower and never gotten up. I rinsed the last of the conditioner from my hair and turned off the shower, quickly wrapping two of my three towels around myself, the cold air piercing my body. As I walked out of the shower stall and back into the main part of the changing room towards my locker, I twisted my hair up with my last towel. As I grabbed my clothes from the top shelf, I turned to see Brooke and Juliette walking out of the shower area as well, smiles across their faces.

I liked Brooke. She had no tolerance for bullshit and would call you out on it within seconds, her personality as fierce as she was on the pitch, her bat flying. But she also seemed really sweet and if Juliette liked her, she must be. I smiled in greeting when they walked over as I struggled to put on my jeans over my damp legs.

"Is it just me or are your legs killing you as well?" Brooke whined as she sat down beside me. "Juliette says she feels fine." She glared at the girl who was standing in front of us with her arms crossed.

I stretched out my own legs, feeling the pull and ache of sore muscles. "Nope, it's definitely not just you. Juliette's just horrifically in shape."

Juliette grinned and shook out her already dry, blonde hair. "I wouldn't say that."

Brooke rolled her eyes as Juliette and I giggled. We all dried ourselves off and pulled on our clothes before heading to the Canteen with the other girls. We raided the buffet and had just sat down when the Dais arrived, followed closely by the Powerhouses. The Bears had already arrived and were seated on the other end of the Canteen, and as the noise level grew, it became almost impossible to hear each other unless we were shouting.

"So where are you all from?" Anabelle asked, her normally loud voice a perfect level for us to hear over everyone else. "I went to Ilvermorny, and I've never really travelled, so this is all so surreal to me."

"I went to the Castelobruxo, over in Brazil," Brooke yelled, just before shoving another piece of fish into her mouth. We were all ravenous, the amount of food piled on our plates could've rivaled the amount on the boys'. "The rainforests there are more amazing than you could ever imagine."

"I went to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic," Juliette continued, her usually soft voice travelling as she struggled to keep herself heard.

They both turned to me and I almost choked on my pumpkin juice. "Oh, I went to Hogwarts. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Anabelle's eyes widened and she leaned forwards. "So you went to school with that Joseph guy. God, I've got such a crush on him." We giggled and her cheeks flushed. Her gaze flickered to a table to my right and the rest of us whipped around to see a group of Dais at the next table over. "Hey! Be a bit subtler, yeah?" Anabelle growled.

Our quick reaction caught Cedric's attention and he nodded at me while still talking to Joseph and Reid. I raised an eyebrow and propped my cheek up on my hand, almost daring him to come over, but he just shook his head and chuckled, then turned back to his friends. When I turned back to Juliette and Brooke, they were staring at me accusingly.

"Only here for Quidditch?" Juliette muttered, the edges of her mouth turning up into a smirk. "I _definitely_ believe you."

I shrugged and finished off my last piece of fish. "I am." With a quick glance back at the boys' table, I felt my heart skip a beat as my gaze met Cedric's. I quickly turned again and blushed fiercely. "But that's not to say I can't think that someone might be cute."

We erupted in giggles, drawing the attention of the other three girls at the table. Jessica gave us a dirty look but Daisy looked intrigued, while Kate seemed to want to go back to their conversation. But before Daisy could ask us anything, the coaches walked into the Canteen, something about their presence causing everyone to quiet down and stare at them as they stood in the entranceway.

"You may not have known this," Sonia, the coach for the Broadmoor Bears, said, her voice traveling in the large room, "but today was not just some ordinary practice. Today was also yet another tryout."

Arthur stepped forward, cheers from the Dangerous Dais accompanying him. "You have already been scouted for Oakshaft and have obviously shown that you have what it takes in your entrance tryouts. You may have realized that there are fourteen of you for every team."

"That is because for each team there will be a First String Team and a Second String Team," Jenna continued. "They are not set in stone, but we have taken into consideration the amount of effort everyone put into the practice this morning. First String Teams will be composed of those players most likely to get offers from reserve teams."

"You'll find the lists in your changing rooms and the first match is tomorrow, the First String teams of the Morgan Minxes versus the Broadmoor Bears," Heather finished, her tone so much different than her usual bubbly personality.

They took one more second, the whole performance so theatrical that it almost seemed fake, then walked out. Almost as soon as they were out of view, chairs scraped against the hardwood floor and there was a stampede to put trays away, although some left theirs right there on the tables. It was a rush to get out of the building, and I was squished between Florence and Cheri as we all raced towards the pitch. As soon as we reached the threshold, everyone began to run, each towards their respective changing rooms.

Ava McKnight got to our changing room first and flung the door open, the rest of us crowding around the door and shoving each other until we had all crowded into the room. Ava had grabbed the list and was standing on one of the benches, facing us as she waited for everyone to listen to her.

"First String!" she called out, the murmurs in the room stopping as we all felt the same pit in our stomach. "Keeper: Cheri William." Cheri beamed but otherwise kept quiet. "Seeker: Roseann Short." Roseann, aptly named because of her small size, yelped a bit, her face going white. "Beaters: Brooke Aguilar" – Juliette cheered and hugged Brooke who seemed about as surprised as Roseann – "and Anabelle Edwina Greene." Anabelle shrieked and hugged Roseann, the two girls clinging to each other. "Chasers: Juliette Michaud," – I felt woozy as Brooke and Juliette celebrated – "Ava… Erica… McKnight… oh Merlin, I got First String!" she screamed, jumping up and down and letting the list slip through her fingers.

Daisy, Jessica and Eleanor Weiss, the other three Chasers vying for the last First String position, converged onto the list, but I was frozen in place. I couldn't bear to look at the list and see my name under Second String. I'd promised Dad that I'd get all my N.E.W.T.s, but in truth, I was skeptical. I wasn't as smart as Dominique or Lucy or Rose. I'd fought tooth and nail just to get my O.W.L.s while Dominique had barely glossed over her notes and Rose had studied only the night before. Quidditch was all I had. It was the one thing that set me apart from any of the cousins. Although we all had some experience playing Quidditch, I was the only one who had ever thought of it as a career.

I watched as the girls fought over the paper, elbows and nails flying. Finally, Jessica managed to wrestle it from the other two, her greedy eyes scanning the paper until they finally came to a halt. Her face dropped into disappointment, then hardened into a sneer.

" _Molly Weasley._ "

* * *

 **A.N.: Thank you so much to my wonderful Beta Julie/banshee for everything she's done for me and this story!**


	3. Making Mr Wood's Good Books

**A.N.: Hey guys! This is finally edited and everything! Big shoutout to my wonderful Beta banshee/Julie who has done so much not only for this story but also for HPFF. Thanks you so much Julie! Also here's a note: if a character is introduced with their last name, it's usually because they are a new character. Also also, because it's edited, it's time for reviews! :D**

* * *

I fidgeted in the red uniform as we all waited in the Minxes changing room. Bridgett already showed us exactly which plays we should use and which plays we shouldn't, based on what tactics the Broadmoor Bears were using in their own practices. Heather had just left us after an especially peppy pep talk. She somehow managed to also make it extremely threatening. It seemed that her bubbly personality and need to be optimistic were being overpowered by her desire to be a good coach.

There were butterflies in my stomach and sweat was beading at the base of my neck as the seconds ticked closer to the match. Ever since Jessica announced that I was the last First String Chaser for the Minxes, I'd noticed the Second Stringers from each team whispering whenever I passed them. Roseann, the sweetheart that she is, always managed to sit with me at the Canteen and always had something to distract me with.

But even so, I found out what they were muttering about. Jessica was the most vocal, going so far as to discuss it in the changing room while both teams were there, her lowered voice still carrying around the room, intentionally I'm sure. The first time I'd heard her whispering with Kate and Savannah Cochran, our Second String Beaters, and Eleanor.

"Of course they'd put _her_ on First String," she'd seethed, and in the corner of my eye I saw her shoot me a dirty look. "If my last name was Weasley they'd have put me on as well."

Almost immediately, Ava appeared next to me, wondering if I wanted to grab lunch with her, Juliette and Brooke at the Canteen, forced smiles on both of their faces. But even in the Canteen, I could feel the stares and hear the murmurs. Brooke had talked to Joseph and recruited the boys to distract me as well. As thankful as I was, I just wanted the attention off of me. Which was why I got ready a half hour before the rest of the girls – I'd escaped to the pitch immediately after an early breakfast to get away from Jessica's glares.

But now that I was sitting here, the other girls milling around me, I wished I had something to preoccupy myself with. Juliette was tying up her boots beside me when there was a knock on the door. The seven of us exchanged glances before Cheri got up and opened it. She seemed to hesitate for a moment and when she moved to the side, I saw Cedric was standing there, a agrin on his face.

"Can I have a chat with Molly?" he asked.

Cheri turned and winked at me, and Juliette giggled quietly. I shot them both glares as I got up and followed him out the door, my broom in hand. He smiled then leaned against the stone wall as I eyed him warily.

"Heard you were nervous," he teased lightly, raising an eyebrow as I closed the door behind me. "Would that be related to the murmurs and whispers that have been going around?" His voice suddenly got serious and I cast my eyes downwards to avoid looking at him.

"Do you think it's true?" I asked meekly. He crossed his arms but stayed silent. "Do you think that maybe I'm only here because of my last name?"

He scoffed. "Ignore them, Molly." I watched as a small smile started to form. "If you repeat this to anyone I'll deny it forever – my father saw our final last year and told me afterwards that Gryffindor didn't deserve to win. You outshined every single player on that pitch and made me look like a fool more than just a few times. He's here today because Puddlemere's already scouting for next year and I told him you were playing today. You belong here because you're one of the best. I don't think there's anyone here who could possibly beat you; except maybe Reid on his best day."

I felt my cheeks flush as I looked down at the ground. Was Mr. Wood actually here today to see me in action? "And you, right?"

He grinned and clapped me on the back. "Sure, but I thought that was already established."

I laughed, feeling my spirits rise with every word he spoke. "How do you know Reid anyways?" I asked, switching my broom from my right hand to my left.

"His mother and my mum are old friends," he answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "He was home schooled so whenever his parents could, they brought him over so he could make a friend. And, Joseph practically lived with me the summer after third year, so we all got really close."

"Big coincidence you all ended up here," I observed, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled and nodded. "Whenever we're together we usually end up practicing. We just work really well together. Guess that's why we're all on First String."

I looked over at him with faked astonishment. "An even bigger coincidence," I said theatrically.

"The match is about to start soon and my dad's probably wondering where I am," he said, looking down at his watch. "I'm going to go back to my seat, but, Weasley?" I tried to frown at the use of my last name but his easy smile made it hard to. "Give 'em hell."

* * *

Minh Nielson, the Keeper for the Broadmoor Bears, was devilishly good. An hour into the game, Ava, Juliette and I had only got three goals past him.. We were still ahead of them by ten points, but with him at the hoops I severely doubted we would keep that lead. Everyone was getting tired, and I had no doubt that Heather was screaming at Roseann from the ground, demanding that the game be brought to a close.

Victoire Auch and Quentin McNeil, two of their Chasers, were currently whipping down the pitch as Ava and Juliette followed. I trailed after Laurette Boissieu, the last Bear Chaser, as she meandered around mid-pitch. Like a football defender, prepared if her team couldn't make the shot.

Thinking of football made me think of Mum momentarily, but I pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the game. I felt my stomach turn as Victoire dodged around a Bludger sent her way by Brooke. She took aim, and her shot whistled through the air and past the outstretched hands of Cheri.

" _And the Bears tie this riveting game up. Thirty to thirty after over an hour and it seems as though the Seekers are nowhere near spotting the Snitch,_ " came the voice of Terry Gray, the strategist for the Powerhouses and our announcer for this match.

I groaned as the cheers from the Bears echoed throughout the pitch, but Juliette quickly grabbed the Quaffle and away she went, Ava close behind. I circled away from Laurette in a flash, slipping through any kind of defense pretense she was trying to keep. I dodged a well-aimed Bludger from Travis McIntosh and another from Scott Coffey, and Juliette, Ava, and I streaked down the pitch. I caught the Quaffle one-handed after an easy throw from Juliette, then dropped it to Ava as she ducked underneath me – an amateur version of the Porskoff Ploy that Bridgett and Heather had been teaching us in practice. Then, I raced off in the direction of the hoops, wondering for a second if perhaps Cedric's dad would be impressed with us.

" _I'm open Juliette, I'm open!_ " I screamed, knowing full well that both of my teammates would understand the hint I was giving them.

I raced towards Minh, drawing his attention towards me instead of the other two, then at the last moment I turned straight up and rocketed away. A second later I turned to see Ava, streaking towards the hoops, her right arm poised to throw the Quaffle. She swung her arm out as though she was about to shoot, but let the red leather ball slip through her fingers and fall away, only to be caught fractions of a second later by Juliette, who had been tailing her the whole way. Minh faltered for a second, but that was all it took for Juliette to shoot, her aim true as it sailed into the left-most hoop.

Terry's voice boomed out again. " _And the Minxes are not going to take that lying down. With a Reverse Pass from McKnight, it seems as though the game just picked up with an amazing goal by Michaud._ "

I saw Victoire scoop up the Quaffle with ease, tucking it under one arm as she zipped back down the length of the field. I raced after her, the rest of the field becoming a blur. It was almost too easy to snatch the Quaffle from her, as I dived underneath her and barrel rolled, kicking up only just enough to knock the Quaffle from her grasp. She looked down at me in surprise and I grinned cheekily as I sped off. I banked at our end of the pitch, waiting for Juliette and Ava to pull back, while Cheri yelled at me from in front of the hoops.

"You're not going to be able to get past Minh – not without forfeiting any points on our end. It takes three of you to get past him, which leaves the rest of the pitch unmanned," she shouted over her shoulder. "Brooke and Anabelle can't stall them enough on their own, so start acting like a team and work with each other."

I nodded as I watched the rest of the players on the pitch fall into place. Brooke was hovering near enough to the hoops that she had to have heard, so as Victoire made her way towards us, I flew over to her.

"Keep her off my tail as long as you can – and get Anabelle on the opposite end so we can distract the Keeper," I demanded before rushing off.

The crack of a Bludger against a bat told me that she had responded, but I didn't wait to see if it would hit its mark. I caught Juliette's gaze and threw the Quaffle with as much strength as I could, about thirty feet forward, into her outstretched hands. She went only a few feet forward before a Bludger whistled through the air on her tail. Ava screamed a warning and Juliette leaned forward, gaining speed as she flew past the stands. I watched in horror as it crept closer to the edge of her broom as she got closer and closer to the edge of the pitch. Suddenly, there was a streak of red and a harsh crack, and the Bludger was redirected towards the Beater who aimed it at Juliette in the first place.

Anabelle's face remained fierce in concentration as she was flying back up, her eyes darting around the pitch. Meanwhile, Juliette swung around the hoops and fired from the back end, but Minh was there to stop it. He passed the Quaffle off to Quentin but almost as soon as the ball was in his hands, Anabelle's expertly hit Bludger startled him into dropping it into Ava's waiting hands. She performed a flawless Finbourgh Flick, the sound of her broom hitting the Quaffle music to my ears.

" _And another beautiful save by Minh!_ " Terry yelled, his voice full of excitement. " _It seems as if the Minxes might not be able to get another one by him anytime soon._ "

Victoire grabbed the Quaffle and she and Laurette passed back and forth as they flew down the field. Juliette and I flew beside them, attempting to check but unable to get around them. I heard Ava scream my name, and I felt the tail of my broom shift downwards. The unmistakable crunch of a Bludger against a broom resounded a second time as I flipped through the air, Victoire's yelp of surprise telling me that she had been hit too. The ground was firm yet soft as I landed and a second later I felt something land on me and then heard a hurried sorry as Victoire rolled off.

"Sorry about that," she frowned, holding out her hand and pulling me into a standing position.

I reached down and grabbed what must've been her broom. "No worries. Can't always land on your feet, can you?" I handed her the broom then picked up mine a few feet away.

"Watch your Keeper – she leans slightly to the side she plans on covering. Good luck." She grinned at me before taking off.

I chuckled to myself and followed suit, thinking that after all of this was over, I'd need to make an effort to get to know this Victoire Auch a little better.

* * *

Heather had called a time-out at the hour and a half mark – there were no captains as coaches, trainers, and strategists took on all of those responsibilities – and we'd listened to very upbeat constructive criticism on how we were playing. Cheri stopped leaning to the side she was planning to cover after I pointed out what Victorie told me. Brooke and Anabelle asked us to start bringing the play either higher or lower as we were on the same level as the spectators and they didn't want to draw a penalty by accidentally smashing a Bludger into the stands, and the last half hour we had been playing magnificently – but so had the Bears.

Another thirty minutes later, two hours in, and they'd brought the score up to fifty to thirty, and we weren't anywhere close to catching up. Minh managed to stop every single attempt on the hoops, and the Bears' Chasers were learning our patterns and figuring out ways to get around us. Even their Beaters seemed to sense where we were going; we had to duck every minute to avoid injury. At least that was mutual; Brooke and Anabelle were on fire, pulling out every single trick in the book, and there were more than a few moments where I thanked my lucky stars they were playing with me and not against me.

Terry's voice grew hoarse as every play seemed like it was going to culminate in a goal before one of the Keepers would make a miraculous save, and then the cycle continued. I could tell that the crowd was getting restless, their cheers quieter and less frequent than the start of the game. The energy of the pitch was lethargic as we continued to go through the movements.

Juliette had just taken a shot on the Bears' hoops – which Minh had just saved – when out of the corner of my eye I saw a commotion at our end of the pitch.

" _And it looks like the Seekers have caught sight of the Snitch!_ " Terry screamed into the microphone. " _Roseann Short and Andrew Delacruz are neck and neck as it seems like this intense match is coming to a close!_ "

I felt chills down my spine as the entire pitch went silent, save for Terry's gasps and hisses as the two Seekers battled it out in the race to the Snitch. For a moment we were all frozen, everyone's eyes glued to what we hoped would be the very last play of the match.

All of a sudden Minh threw the Quaffle to Victoire and spurred everyone else into action. Victoire passed it off to Laurette who attempted to Reverse Pass it to Quentin, but Anabelle swiftly knocked a Bludger their way, knocking the Quaffle off course and into the waiting hands of Ava.

And then we were off, the Bears' Chasers behind us and only Minh in between us and the hoops. The three of us passed the Quaffle between us , diving and soaring through the air in an attempt to confuse Minh before we were able to shoot. As we got close to the hoops I heard Terry's excitement grow and I knew there was only one way to finish this game properly if I had any hope of impressing Mr. Wood.

I brought my left foot up on the back of my broom and then my right foot near the front, balancing on the broom as I slowly stood up. Juliette hesitated for a moment before throwing the Quaffle my way. I wobbled a bit as I caught it, the added force from the toss putting me off balance for a second, but then quickly regained my balance and coaxed the broom forward, the wind rushing past me. Minh balked as he saw me approaching, which was just what I had intended.

I feigned left and as soon as his body moved an inch in that direction I leapt off the broom and into the air, angled towards the rightmost hoop. I threw the Quaffle with all my might towards the goal post, my stomach in knots as I began to fall back towards the ground. Without a second thought I grabbed my wand from it's holster on my left arm and summoned my broom, not daring to take my eyes away from the Quaffle and Minh – who had realized my intentions and was now reaching with all his might, trying to stop this last goal.

" _AND ANDREW DELACRUZ HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH, SECONDS AFTER A BEAUTIFUL CHELMONDISTON CHARGE FROM MOLLY WEASLEY._ " Terry screamed, his voice hoarse. " _And what a magnificent match this was! The Minxes end with forty while the Bears sweep the table with two hundred points!_ "

* * *

I pulled on the sweater that I still hadn't given back to Reid and put up my wet hair so it was out of my face. Juliette was still in the shower, so I slipped on my boots and left the changing room. While we were disappointed that we didn't win, Heather assured us all that we played magnificently, her bubbly personality bringing a bit of warmth to the otherwise somber atmosphere of the room. Unfortunately, as soon as she left the tension resurfaced and the silence was deafening. I was on my way back from the pitch when someone grabbed my arm.

"Molly!" Cedric spun me around to face him and an older man who bore an eerie resemblance to him. "Great game!" He hugged me so tight it became hard to breathe.

"Cedric, I need oxygen," I reminded him, tapping him on the back. He let me go and I blushed as his father grinned. "You must be Mr. Wood." I held out my hand and he grasped it firmly. "Molly Weasley."

"I know who you are, Miss Weasley" he said with a chuckle. "Your Chelmondiston Charge was very impressive. I was almost as riveted as the last time I saw you play."

I felt my cheeks redden and I glanced at my feet. "Thank you, Mr. Wood. That really means a lot."

"Your uncle used to stand on his broom like that," he continued. "I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

My eyebrows knit together and I glanced at Cedric for a moment before turning back to his dad. "I didn't know that any of my Uncles played as a Chaser. Are you sure you don't mean my Aunt Ginny?"

Mr. Wood laughed and shook his head. "No, your Uncle Harry. In his first game he nearly swallowed the Snitch after riding around on his broom like you just did. He's never mentioned his Hogwarts Quidditch career?"

"No," I mused, biting my bottom lip. "He doesn't talk about it very much. Usually when my family talks Quidditch it's all about Aunt Ginny."

"Well, Harry wasn't so bad himself. He became the youngest Seeker at Hogwarts in a century his first year." Mr. Wood's eyes suddenly became unfocused, as he reminisced about the past. "You should ask him about it sometime."

"Now why would we do that when we could always just listen to your stories, Dad?" Cedric teased, nudging his father's arm.

Mr. Wood laughed and nodded at me. "Could never understand where he got that attitude. Now unfortunately I have another game to get to over at Hogwarts. I thought I was done watching games on that pitch, but recruitment never used to be in my plans." He absentmindedly redistributed his weight off his left knee, the ghost of the injury that prematurely ended his professional Quidditch career seemingly resurfacing. "You played well Miss Weasley. Puddlemere's coach will be sure to hear about you."

With that he said his goodbyes to Cedric and then walked off. I waited until I heard the distinct crack of him disapparating, and then began jumping up and down and squealing while Cedric laughed beside me.

"I can't believe it!" I shrieked. "Oliver bleeding Wood said that he was impressed with me. Puddlemere United is going to hear about it!"

"Come on Weasley," Cedric grinned, pulling me into another hug, "let's go celebrate with some ice cream!"

I hugged him back, laughing as he picked me up and twirled me around. "Oh, you read my mind!"

* * *

I rushed into class three minutes late and was relieved to see that the professor hadn't arrived yet. This morning had already been a mess, seeing as I'd been up since six and still hadn't had a minute of relaxation. First there was a half hour of strategy meeting where Bridgett had praised me on my Chelmondiston Charge, then scolded me for not having practiced it beforehand somewhere she could've watched over to make sure I wouldn't have been hurt. Then there was an hour and a half of ground training where Dan made us run twenty laps and then run circuits for what seemed like forever. To top it all off we had Dan, Bridgett, and Heather run us ragged for another hour and a half in the air. In the end, I barely had time for breakfast before I had to to rush off to class. I sank into a seat in the back and sighed, the ache in my legs catching up to me now that they were still.

"You certainly look chipper," a soft voice whispered as a dark brunette slid into the seat next to me. She had her hands wrapped around a large paper cup filled with delicious smelling coffee, and I immediately recognized her as she smiled dazzlingly at me.

I smiled back at Victoire – Vicki – and nodded. "Hey! You played great last Friday. And thank you for the tip with my Keeper."

She blushed and shook her head. "Not as well as you did. And it was no problem – how else am I supposed to get better unless I play against the best?"

"That's how I feel;" I giggled. "So, you're in General Studies then? Don't know exactly what to do with your life either?"

She laughed nervously and twirled a strand of dark brown hair around her finger. "Not at all. Right now, Quidditch is my life. I can't think of anything other than that."

I smiled. "I feel the exact same way. My dad wants me to get all my N.E.W.T.s so I don't focus on Quidditch and 'burn out by the time I'm twenty-eight.'"

She took a sip of her coffee as she raised an eyebrow. "Are those his exact words?"

"Unfortunately. I know he's worried about my future, but sometimes I don't know if he realizes that I probably won't be as successful as him, or my mother, or even some of my cousins, because I'm just not interested in working at a desk job, and maybe I never will be!" I finished, feeling my pulse quickening. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone off about that." Glancing at the front of the classroom sheepishly, I relaxed as I saw that the professor still hadn't arrived.

Vicki slid her coffee my way and smiled. "Both my parents are Healers and my brother's a crazy successful editor for _The Daily Prophet_. They all think that Quidditch is a waste of time. It's a caramel mocha by the way, you should try it," she pointed at the cup and I did, my eyes widening as the delicious taste of caramel and the bittersweet taste of espresso swept over me. "I get it. But don't worry about it – with the way you play, you'll definitely be as if not more successful than any of your family members."

I frowned and took another sip of her drink before sheepishly sliding it back her way. "I highly doubt that."

"What's that you doubt, Weasley?" Cedric said with a yawn, dropping into the seat in front of Vicki. "Hi, I'm Cedric.," he said, winking at Vicki.

"I'm Vicki," she said, glancing at me. "And she's worried she won't be successful in life or something. I think it's crazy – have you seen the girl fly? Only person that could beat her is Andrew."

"What's that Vicki?" A short boy with ashy brown hair sat down in front of me and smiled. "Did I just hear you say that I'm the best flyer you've ever seen and I'm basically the best Quidditch player ever?"

Vicki rolled her eyes while Cedric and I introduced ourselves. We engaged in small talk for a few minutes until the professor finally ran in, a large bag overflowing with scrolls and quills over his shoulder. He was young and quite tall, with thick brown hair and bright blue eyes that were noticeable even from the fifth row of the, albeit, small classroom.

"Sorry class, got turned around and then somehow found myself staring at a plate of donuts."

Vicki sighed next to me, her eyes riveted on the man at the front of the room. "Oh no, I think I'm in love." She fluttered her eyelashes at me and I giggled as I snaked her coffee again.

"My kids kept my wife and I up all night. I guess that's something you need to account for when you've got three little ones." He chuckled, dumping out his bag onto his desk and searching the contents.

"Oh no, I think _he's_ in love," I sighed teasingly, a frown settling in on Vicki's face as she took back her latte and took a long drink.

"Well I'm Professor Harvard; welcome to the General Studies class of Defense Against the Dark Arts – aha!" He brandished his wand and smiled at us. "Okay, let's get started, shall we? Due to our condensed curriculum here at Oakshaft, you have four months in this class and then you will take your N.E.W.T. examinations before Christmas." He waved his wand over his desk and the haphazard disorganization of scrolls and quills swirled around until they were nice stacks on either end of the oak surface. "This is because around Christmas time, reserve teams from around the world will be taking some of you to start practicing with them over the winter."

Murmurs spread around the room and hands shot up at almost every table. Professor Harvard sighed and called on Quentin who was seated near the front.

"But what happens if we get on a reserve team? How will we finish our N.E.W.T.s?"

"Reserve teams looking for new players will typically bring in a tutor. And if not, Oakshaft will provide them with one." He smiled and waited for the rest of the hands around the room to be put down. "Now, we have a very busy week ahead of us and I spent far too long with that plate of donuts. Let's start with the lesson, shall we?"

We all pulled out our parchment and quills as Professor Harvard summoned a chalkboard. I wrote down the date on the top of my page then quickly stole a sip of Vicki's latte once again.

"Now class, how about some review from last year? Please list the three Unforgivable Curses."

"I'd like to do something unforgivable with him," Vicki murmured. In surprise, I spit out the coffee I had in my mouth all over my parchment. "What? I'm not going to, but he's cute, you have to admit that," she said with a wink.

We stifled our giggles and I quickly waved my wand to clean up the mess. As Professor Harvard continued his lesson, I snuck a glance at Vicki. Not only was she an incredible Chaser, she was kind enough to offer a complete stranger her drink, and crazy enough to make vulgar comments about a professor. I looked back to the front of the room and caught Cedric's eye as he turned back to wink at me. A week ago I'd gotten to the academy, and I was so nervous about having to meet new people and make new friends. But right now my nerves were gone and I'll I could think about was how excited I was for the weeks to come.


	4. Making a Mad Dash

**A.N.: Hi again! So like last chapter, I really don't want any reviews on this until I say so on the forums, or unless I update this author's note, because (and especially with this chapter) there might be some heavy revisions. I'm not entirely sure if I'm entirely happy with the way this chapter is structured, but since it was written, I really wanted to poast it for the writing extravaganza! So if you like it, feel free to tell me why on the forums, just not here in a review just in case it gets a major overhaul! Love Lo :)**

* * *

It was my last class of the day and already I wanted to go to bed. Three hour practices every morning for four mornings in a row were not fun, no matter how positive Heather was and how upbeat she tried to keep us. But I still wasn't getting enough caffeine in the morning, no matter how many coffees I stole from Vicki. The great part about Oakshaft was that everyone who was going down a certain study path had all of their classes together, apart from the Quidditch centric courses. So most of my days were spent with my every growing group of General Studies friends, while Quidditch: Rules of the Game, Strategy on the Fly, and History of Quidditch was spent with my Minxes – which was where I was right now.

Professor Rawlings was droning on about the initial inspirations of Quidditch while I was staring out the window from the back of the room at the pitch. I loved Quidditch, but practices just didn't cut it. All I wanted was to just aimlessly fly around without Heather, Bridgett, or Dan yelling at me to bank sooner or pass harder or dive steeper.

"Hey," someone whispered from behind me, their breath tickling my neck.

I jumped and turned to see Reid, his eyes twinkling with mischief. I was glad that I had chosen the back of the class as he gestured towards the door with one hand and left the other outstretched towards me. I laced my fingers through his and once Professor Rawlings turned her back to the class, we snuck out the door, Juliette's watchful eyes locking with mine as the door closed, a smirk on her face.

"Is your Professor as dull as ours?" Reid asked as we swiftly walked down the hall and away from History of Quidditch. "Because ours is named Donald Donaldson. Did his parents hate him?"

I laughed and leaned into him as we kept up our escape. "Professor Rawlings isn't dull!" Reid raised an eyebrow skeptically and I grinned. "Oh come on. She's nice enough, the subject matter is just boring."

"Can't argue with you there," he chuckled. "So what do you want to do now that we've escaped? Go snag some bacon? Fly around the grounds? Plan a musical dedicated to the escapades of two rebellious teenagers who just don't care about the History of Quidditch?"

I laughed and jumped a bit in joy. "Let's go flying. I haven't felt free on a broom in so long!"

"Okay, let's go then!" he grinned, and pulled me along as we sped up.

We passed several classes, giggling as we went, but as we rounded the final corner before we could make it outside to the pitch, Reid knocked into someone.

"Oh, sorry mate," he stammered, his hand tightening on mine.

"It's no problem," Cedric laughed, and I felt my cheeks warm as I realized that I was still holding Reid's hand and we were standing very close together. "You two about to go for a quick fly?"

I snatched my hand away from Reid and felt my cheeks explode with heat as Cedric turned his eyes on me. "Yeah, do you want to join?"

He grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'd love to. I'm just waiting for Joseph. He said he was springing someone else from History of Quidditch as well. Weasley, is your Professor as boring as ours?"

"As boring as Donald Donaldson?" I smirked and saw Reid smile out of the corner of my eye. "Definitely not. So if we're all going to be flying, why don't we make it a bit more interesting once we're out there?"

Cedric narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. "Are you suggesting a competition of sorts, Weasley?"

I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips as well. "Well, I guess you could call it that if I wasn't already going to win everything."

"Oh is that how it's going to be, Weasley?" He smirked and stepped closer, rolling his shoulders back and towering over me.

"That's how it's going to be, Wood." I stepped closer too so our chests were almost pressed against each other. "I could take you with both hands tied behind my back."

"Oh, you're on!"

* * *

"So you escaped History of Quidditch with Reid," Juliette mused, tapping her finger against her chin, "walked down the halls with him, then bumped into Cedric and just left Reid hanging?"

"Well I didn't leave him hanging," I whined. "We all went out flying together. Even Joseph was there."

Juliette gave me a disapproving look from her cozy spot in her sheets. "Yes, but who left early and who stayed late on the pitch?"

"Joseph and Reid left early," I sighed. "And Cedric and I stayed late on the pitch."

She sighed and sat up, her hair mused up yet still gorgeous. "Exactly! If you like Cedric, you shouldn't be stringing Reid along like that!"

"But I'm not stringing Reid along!" I protested. "He probably doesn't even like me that way. And I don't like Cedric!"

"So you haven't thought about kissing him? Ever? Or holding his hands as you ride off into the sunset on a horse?"

"Oi, you're the one with the horse not me," I grinned. "We ride off into the sunset on a broom."

Juliette gasped and I rolled my eyes. "You do like him!"

I groaned and jumped off my bed to go and sit on hers. "Well, what if I do? We've got so many mutual friends already. Wouldn't it be weird?"

"It might be at first," she said, wrapping an arm around me shoulder, "but if you don't at least try, you'll regret it."

"But I might not like him. What if he's just a really good friend and I'm misinterpreting my own feelings?" I sighed, leaning into her.

"Well then I guess that's something you'll have to figure out for yourself." She gave me a friendly pat on the back then placed her chin on my shoulder. It was a bit strange how close we had gotten in such a short amount of time, but ever since that night I hadn't let her out of my sight and ended up in Joseph and Reid's room, an unspoken bond had been created and we'd begun to tell each other everything. "Now, I have to ask you something." I nodded so she continued. "What exactly is that thing that's moving on your back?"

I laughed and stood up, walking over to the mirror she had attached to her closet door and looking at myself in it. As she had pointed out, there was a slight shadow moving just underneath my right shoulder blade, its distinct shape a comfort to me.

"Oh, I have a tattoo," I explained, lifting my arm and my shirt to display the colourful phoenix that had managed to wind it's way around to the right side of my rib cage. "It's my patronus. He likes to hide though. I never could tell my parents about him so he's gotten used to not being shown around."

Almost as soon as I uttered those words, the beautiful bird raised its wings and began to glide across my skin, hiding itself somewhere on the left side of my body. The motion made the hair on my skin stand on end, a strange tingling sensation that I was usually able to ignore spreading over me. I remembered the first time the small phoenix was placed on my skin, the magic ink causing shivers to run up and down my spine as his wings first spread in new life.

The bright patches of colour swirled along my ribcage as he spun about and although the tattoo artist had cast a numbing spell on the area, I could still feel the strange whispers of his movements. Since then, I'd kept him hidden at home as my parents would have most likely disowned me, but I still remembered the day that I'd visited Dominique this past summer in France and we'd gone to the beach, her matching panther prowling around her ankles as we let them breathe for the first time.

"Wow," Juliette breathed. "I've always wanted a tattoo, but I never knew what I should get. Can I touch it?"

I turned back and smiled. "Yeah, of course." I sat back down next to her and lifted my shirt until I saw his bright wingtips on the edges of my ribs. "Come on, baby," I coaxed, smiling as the phoenix glided over to the middle of my stomach.

Juliette seemed to hesitate, then reached out and let her fingertips feather the edges of his wings. She gasped, withdrew her hand, and I giggled. The first time touching a magical tattoo always surprised people – they didn't expect the slight shock they'd receive. She reached out again and this time only flinched slightly when her fingers met the artificial colour on my skin.

"It feels different," she whispered, her gaze unmoving from the phoenix tattoo. "Almost as if there are feathers in your skin."

I chuckled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, my cousin Dom's got a panther that feels like cat's fur. It takes a bit to get used to."

Juliette shook her head and leaned back, taking her hand off my ribs. "That's amazing. And you said it's your patronus? You've actually cast a corporeal patronus?"

"Yeah, my family's big on those. I first did right after my sixteenth birthday, but my cousin James managed to when he was only fourteen, or so he claims." I rolled my eyes but couldn't keep the smile off my face at the thought of trouble-making James.

"Could you teach me sometime?" she asked, reaching over to grab a hair tie from her desk. "I've always wanted to learn but I've never really made the effort to find someone who could teach me."

I grinned. "Yeah of course! It'll be fun! So, who do you think will win tomorrow – the Powerhouses or the Dais?"

"I don't really know, I've been more concerned with their First String teams to bother with the Second Stringers," Juliette admitted, her cheeks darkening. "Wow, that makes me sound awful, doesn't it?"

"Nah," I said, getting up and going back over to my own bed. "You've only been here for a week – how are you supposed to keep an eye on the seven other teams here when Heather has us working like dogs?"

She laughed and snuggled into her blankets. "Well you've managed to get not one but two boys wrapped around your little finger, so I don't think that's a proper excuse."

"Oh shut it," I growled, then grabbed my wand from desk, a quick wave plunging the room into darkness.

* * *

"I can't believe we're watching this in the freaking rain," Vicki moaned, her hair still damp from before we'd been able to cast our protective charms. A small line of muted grey trailed down her face, an unfortunate by-product of her non-waterproof mascara. "What are we still doing here anyways? The Dais are up by a hundred points – it's obviously going to be a bloodbath."

"Well that's just rude," Cedric grinned, "considering that almost the entire Dais team is in General Studies with us. And they did watch your match last week."

Vicki rolled her eyes and threw her arm around my shoulder. "Back at Ilvermorny I could've gotten away with it. Damn you foreigners and your 'properness.'"

"Oi, you're on our land now, Yank," Travis protested. "Watch who you're calling foreigners."

We all laughed, our odd little group of misfits crammed together under the umbrella of charms we'd cast to protect ourselves from the downpour. Since the start of the week, the General Studies class had gotten very close. We'd all branched off into little cliques, with Vicki, Cedric, and I being joined by Scott and Travis, the Bears' First String Beaters, Quentin and Andrew, two other First String Bears, and Phillippe Chapelle, the second string Keeper for the Dais. Somehow, we'd quickly become quite close with one another even in the span of one week, especially Vicki and I.

She'd already told me that her mother had actually gone to Hogwarts and had been in Ravenclaw like I had, and that she'd attended a few years after my father had started. Then after the war, she'd moved to the United States and met Vicki's dad, a muggle doctor, and settled down. It was her mother who had gotten her interested in Quidditch – she'd been a seeker but Vicki had been persuaded by her father's love of American football to try Chasing and had loved it since the first day. She'd played at Ilvermorny with a few close friends and her ex-boyfriend.

During a very boring introductory Potions class on Tuesday, she told me that he'd never been very supportive of her going into Quidditch as a profession, which was why she had initially auditioned for Oakshaft, but it was her mother who had convinced her to actually attend once she got the acceptance. Her ex-boyfriend had thrown a fit when he found out she was leaving which was why she'd broken up with him, she'd admitted, but had been thinking about it for weeks prior.

I'd told her all about my own family, and although she gushed over Aunt Ginny, she was extremely excited to meet my cousins – especially Dom. I promised that I'd try to get her to come visit over the family weekend, as well as James whom she proclaimed was 'delish' after I pointed him out in a Christmas photograph of all the cousins. When I told her about my practically non-existent love life, and then accidentally mentioned that I thought someone in General Studies was cute, she'd gotten Cedric's name out of me and had vowed to be my wing woman, which she was proving by subtly pushing us towards each other in the stands the entire match.

"Can we go get some fries from the caf?" she suddenly whined, jumping up to lean on Cedric.

He took one step back from her – towards me in fact, although I suspect she'd done that on purpose – and laughed shakily. "Chips? From the Canteen?"

Vicki rolled her eyed. "Yeah, that's what I said."

"Wait until the match is over at least," Quentin mused, his eyes riveted on the players flying back and forth along the pitch. He shook his head, but the small smirk on his face betrayed him. "You have absolutely no patience."

"Oh, but you love me Quentin," Vicki said, reaching over to hug his arm as the rest of us laughed. "Fine," she sighed, "but only because the Snitch is lounging about half pitch and at least one of these Seekers has to see it in the next minute."

We all whipped around and sure enough, a small golden flash was zipping about half pitch. A low rumble came over the crowd as more and more of us noticed the Snitch. Finally, Eduardo Bowers, the Dais' Seeker, and Mia Eaton from the Powerhouses, took off. One second they were at opposite ends of the pitch and the next they were careening towards each other at top speed. Craig Rellner, the Bears' strategist, was going absolutely mental into the microphone.

"AND THE SEEKERS ARE RACING FOR THE SNITCH, EACH FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE PITCH. WHO WILL MAKE THE FINAL CATCH?" he screamed, his face turning so red that I could tell the difference from the stands to the announcer podium.

Everything seemed to stop as the entire stadium was watching the two figures flying towards each other at breakneck speeds. And then almost as soon as the madness had started, it was over.

Eduardo rocketed towards the sky, his fist gripped tightly on what we could only assume was the snitch as Mia slowed her broom until she finally got to the ground, her shoulders hunched over in defeat. The stands erupted from the Dais side, Cedric and Phillipe yelling their encouragement much to the dismay of our eardrums. Scott rolled his eyes and handed what seemed to be a Galleon over to Travis who grinned with delight.

"Now can we get out of this God awful rain?" Vicki asked, her wand poised to take down the charms that were keeping us dry.

"Vicki, don't you dare–" Andrew was interrupted as she flicked her wrist and the torrential downpour came down upon us.

We screamed in unison as the cold water soaked through our clothes, Vicki having had the good sense and preparation to run off as soon as the charms were lifted. "Vicki!" we shouted after her as we all followed.

We raced down the stairs and back towards the building, our disgruntled groans and shouts muffled by all the rain. It pounded against my back and made me shiver, my shoes already squishing from the water that had managed to soak through. I glanced up from the ground to see that Travis was holding the door open for everyone behind him. I raced through and almost immediately afterwards the door slammed shut, Travis's hands pushing me further inside.

"Vicki, you absolute wanker," Cedric moaned. "I'm all wet now."

Scott laughed and shook his head. "Cedric, you're a wizard – surely there's something you could do to remedy that."

Cedric stuck his tongue out at him. "It's the fact that I need to do anything that upsets me the most."

"Oh, poor little Cedric," I quipped, bumping my shoulder against his, "has to wave his itty bitty wand to get his clothes all warm and dry like his mumsy does for him."

Cedric raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching up at the edges. "Oh, my wand isn't all that itty bitty."

"Care to prove it?" I challenged, smirking as the apples of his cheeks became slightly darker.

He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Vicki jumped in. "Oh please, I'll do it since I made you all run in the rain." With that she waved her wand in a complicated little pattern and hot air immediately streamed out the tip. "Who's first?"

I immediately stepped forward and felt her turn her wand on me, the blast of air not unlike my mother's hair dryer, albeit a lot stronger than the muggle contraption. She went over me quickly, but spent more time on my hair, something I was happy about, especially when the red curls bounced down, warm against my neck and face. I stepped aside and let Vicki dry off everyone else before she turned her wand on herself. Once we were all dried off, we made our way to the Canteen where there were small groups of others scattered among the tables, all with steaming cups. At the buffet, I grabbed a cup of hot chocolate and watched as Vicki loaded her plate with chips and ketchup.

"Are you really that hungry?" I asked incredulously, as she popped one into her mouth.

She shrugged and we made our way back to the tables. "The boys will steal some if you don't, I almost guarantee it."

I made a face and she giggled. I followed suit and we sat down at a table near a window, the boys joining us moments later with a variety of tea, hot chocolate, and coffee. Vicki pushed the chips to the middle of the table, and as she predicted, the boys dug in. We still had an hour and a half until full dinner would be served, instead of the chips and salad that were always available for snacks, but it was obvious that no one was going to be waiting. Even I snuck a few, Vicki's amused stare making my cheeks flush.

"So what are the rest of you about to do this weekend?" Scott asked, snagging a chip before Travis could take it.

"Probably try and work ahead before class starts wrecking us," Phillippe sighed. "Around half-term it'll be murder trying to keep up with everything."

Andrew sighed. "Oh come on, Phil. Live a little."

"What do you want me to do?" Phillippe grinned. "You planning something?"

Cedric leaned in and winked at him. "Well, if we weren't planning something, why do you think we're asking?"

* * *

"Top o' the morning to yah!" Quentin chirped, his chipper demeanor getting on my nerves. He slipped into the seat in front of me, his smile just a bit too mischievous for it to be simply a question. "How was last night?"

A cup of coffee slammed down in front of me, the distinct smell making my stomach turn while also making the pounding in my head lessen. Cedric sat down next to me, what I assumed was tea in his cup.

"Two creamers, six sugars, just the way you like it," he muttered, sunglasses obscuring his eyes from view. "We're doing absolutely roses and daisies, Quentin. Yourself?"

Quentin grinned. "Oh I'm always doing great."

"How'd you know what I take in my coffee?" I asked, grabbing my cup and pulling the warmth close. The steam kissed my cheeks and I sighed as the smell drifted around me. I felt my head spin and leaned over to lean against Cedric's shoulder.

He shrugged, the movement causing my head to move up and down. "Saw you make yourself a cup last year and had no idea why you would ever consider coffee over tea, and also how you manage to take so much sugar in a cup and not immediately spit it out."

I chuckled slightly and took a drink, the sweetness making me smile. "It has to be as sweet as I am."

"Well in that case I shouldn't have put any sugar in it," he quipped.

I sat up and smacked him in the arm. He laughed and I rolled my eyes as Vicki and Phillippe both rushed in. They both sat down behind Cedric and I and the four of us just sighed. Scott and Travis took that as their cue and rushed in as well, finding a desk closer to the front, but they looked back at the group of us and we all just shook our heads in acknowledgement. We all waited in hushed silence until Professor Harvard hurried in, just as scattered as last week.

"All right class," he buzzed about, "as those who have glanced over the syllabus may know, we will not be doing assignments this term. Instead we will have technical quizzes every Friday." A sigh of relief spread through the class as it seemed that no one had actually glanced over the syllabus. "Now, shall we start where we left off last week?"

I brought the cup back up to my lips as Cedric leaned over. "Do you think Vicki's more likely to fall asleep this class or ogle Prof. H over there?"

I forced myself to swallow the coffee before coughing out a barking laugh that caused Professor Harvard to stop in his tracks.

"Miss Weasley, is it?" he called out. I nodded slowly and he reciprocated. "Are you alright back there?"

"Yes sir," I said meekly. He turned back and continued on with the lecture as Cedric giggled beside me. "Oh bugger off."

We spent the rest of the day in various stages of hangovers. Scott and Travis felt the best out of all of us and were even smiling and joking by the time lunch rolled around, but it was nearing the end of the last class of the day, and Vicki still looked like someone had run her over with a truck. While I felt a lot better, even I had to admit I'd need lots of sleep tonight. While most of the class had taken quick naps during this last block, I'd stayed awake, riveted on the subject matter, and when the bell rang signaling the end of class, I felt slightly disappointed.

"And remember," Professor Valois called after us as we raced out the door, "your assignments must be handed to me by the end of class on Thursday!"

Ancient Runes was quickly becoming my favourite class, and not just because Professor Valois was the most upbeat and happy professor I'd ever had. Everything had begun clicking ever since her first lecture and I'd been excited to get to her class even though my head was still pounding slightly. The assignment, although daunting, was something I was excited to start working on.

"You seem entirely too happy," Phil remarked as we made our way to the Canteen for dinner. "What's going on tonight that we don't know about?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just excited to finish the assignment."

"You're excited?" Cedric chimed in. "Really?"

"Yeah, Ancient Runes is fun for me. It just makes sense," I answered.

Phil shook his head. "You're crazy, Molly. Who's ever excited about assignments?"

"Come now," Cedric mused, squinting at me. "If we're nice to her, she might help us with it."

"Oh no," I said, speeding up towards the Canteen. "There is no way I'm helping you boys with your assignment – we're meant to do it on our own." I got to the large room and made my way around all the tables until I reached the buffet. "How are you supposed to learn the content if I'm the one finishing your assignments for you?"

Cedric had gotten to the buffet line before me – damn his long legs! – and passed me two trays and two plates that I split with Phil. "We're not asking you to finish our assignments for us, we just want some help." He grinned and hip checked me softly. "Come on Weasley, I'll give you a kiss."

I mimed vomiting and jumped ahead of him in line. "Don't make me be sick, Wood. How about this – I help you two with Ancient Runes and you help me with Defense Against the Dark Arts and Arithmancy." I grabbed a dressed salad, a plateful of mashed potatoes, and a chicken fajita from the buffet and kept going along the line.

"Sounds good to me," Phil nodded. "Cedric?"

Cedric scooped a mountain of pasta onto his plate and nodded. "Sure. Now last week they had fried chicken on Monday. Does anyone see it?"

"Oh, it's over there," Cheri piped up from in front of me. She pointed towards the end of the buffet line where everyone was standing.

"Meet you guys at the table then," Cedric said, walking over to wait for his drumstick.

I poured myself a glass of chocolate milk and then Phil and I walked out and found Vicki and Iva Owens, a Second String Chaser for the Powerhouses and another General Studies student, who had both skipped Ancient Runes. I dug in to my plate as soon as I set it down, my stomach growling. Having not eaten much at lunch in order to be able to keep it down, I was absolutely starving and couldn't eat fast enough.

"You might want to slow down," Iva suggested, her soft voice firm yet sweet. "You'll give yourself indigestion."

"Have you ever seen her eat Iva?" Andrew asked as he sat down next to Phil. "That's how she always is. Bit of a pig."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Oh shut it, Andrew. You're not much better."

The rest of the table started laughing just as Cedric sat down, quickly followed by Scott and Travis, who were already arguing about who would win the match this week. It was a First String game, the Dangerous Dais against the Plumpton Powerhouses, and it seemed that the two of them had already started a wager system.

"Tyson's a weak Keeper compared to Adrian, no question," Travis explained, setting his tray down and quickly taking a bite of his roast beef sandwich before continuing. "But Roger might just be quicker than Krista if he can actually catch the snitch."

"Personally I think the Powerhouses' Chasers are a force to be reckoned with," Scott turned to Cedric as he said this. "I'm sorry, but have you seen them? Look, they're coming in now." He jerked his head towards the front of the Canteen and we all turned to look. "Real smooth guys," Scott grumbled, but we all ignored him.

Myles McCarthy, Dennis Morton, and Keri McCall were all amazingly tall, lean, and obviously well trained. The boys moved quickly and deliberately, all of their movements seemingly calculated, while Keri seemed more delicate and fluid, although something about her made me wary. They were all smiling and laughing, but something about them just screamed professional. Intimidating was the only word to describe it.

"I've put three Galleons on the Powerhouses," Scott murmured as we all turned back to the table.

"Oi, what am I chopped liver?" Cedric teased, his eyes showing the same apprehension the rest of us had.

I fumbled around in my pocket and drew out two coins myself. "Put me down for two Galleons." Cedric gave me a look and I just shrugged. "What Wood? Give 'em hell."


End file.
